Photo: Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey, Feb. 19, 2020. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen, in the public domain).
Hampton University recently announced it would be offering free tuition, room and board to 50 to 100 Ukrainian and international students studying in the European country due to the ongoing war and devastation.
“The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heartbroken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals and other civilian areas,” said Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey. “I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families. My entire career has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.”
Students would also have the option to stay at Hampton and pay regular tuition and fees for the summer semester.
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This isn’t the first time the popular HBCU has offered displaced international students a temporary educational home. It also took in Bahamian students in 2019 after Hurricane Dorian devastated the island nation.
While some people celebrated the move, not everyone was warm to the idea. Some in Black America questioned Hampton’s motives, while others pointed out the racism many African students said they experienced when trying to flee Ukraine.
Still others said the slots should be filled by Black American students.
Here are some of the critical reactions from Twitter.
“Well, the HBCUs are at it again. Do you think this has ANYTHING to do with all the alleged ‘federal dollars’ they have (allegedly) received?” Black Authority tweeted.
“Wow. An HBCU is giving free rides to people who (1) are violently abusive towards Black people as we have seen in numerous videos and (2) are okay with ‘whites only’ transportation policies. Will Black students be safe when these people are on campus?” SoulfulSugar tweeted.
“Students from the Ukraine should not be allowed to attend Hampton University. I prefer to see more Black Americans at HBCUs. However, the traitors must be removed from the schools need to hit the reset button” Toni Carter tweeted.
“HBCU’s are offering free room and board to white Ukrainian refugees. Hampton university is giving free room and board to the same Ukrainians that turned their back on African students in a crisis! Cccchhhhhhiiiiiiilllllllleeeeee these schools be performative AF” Pussy Mount him Lion tweeted @DonPumGato.
There were some Twitter users who came to Hampton’s defense, however, stating the university was just showing humanity and empathy.
IN THE ORIGINAL PHOTO: This image of Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey is cropped from an image of when then-Vice President Mike Pence participated in a roundtable Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, at the Proton Therapy Institute in Hampton, VA. (Official White House Photo by D. Myles Cullen). Retrieved from Wikimedia via Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87320773
